Expanding Consciousness Through Symbolism: Ants

As anyone who practices Magick is well aware, symbolism is a very powerful tool. Spells and rituals employ a wide range of symbols to charge and direct energy. Today I will demonstrate how we can expand our consciousness through symbols and our associations with them.

Oftentimes when reading books on spirituality, or in other areas such as psychology, a list of symbols will be presented and we are asked to give a list of things or ideas that we associate with that symbol. In this article I will focus on a symbol that at first may seem peculiar, the ant.

When asked what one associates with ‘ant’, many will say such things as ‘small’ and ‘insignificant’. They may think that because the ant is so small compared to them, that it is essentially meaningless and holds no great power. I will argue that this view is flawed, and by looking deeper into the symbolism of the ant, one can expand their perception of the world.

Although ants are indeed small in size (at least when compared to ourselves or other, much larger animals), this does not mean that they are simple or insignificant. Ants are in fact complex beings with their own functioning society, or colony. Colonies can be small with only a few dozen members, or very large with millions of members. No matter their size, ants work with one another to make their communities thrive. They will skillfully coordinate with one another, leading other worker ants to food, or alerting others to danger, such as to a group of ants from another colony or an animal who may be there looking for food. They also work together to build their colonies, which often include a complex, practical tunneling system. By doing these things, ants are able to create a thriving society, just as humans do.

As we can see, ants are far from being mindless beings who wander around aimlessly until death. Much can be learned from recognizing this. By appreciating the complexity of something that we may otherwise view as insignificance, our perception of the world widens. We acquire a deeper respect for the world around us and everything that it is made up of. This can be applied to all areas of our lives. By understanding that things are much more significant than they appear to be on the surface, we expand our conscious understanding of the universe and everything in it.